Israel agreed to a U.S. request to delay its Gaza invasion so the Pentagon can deploy air defenses to protect U.S. troops, according to officials and people familiar with Israeli planning.
At “Little Gaza,” Israeli soldiers await the order to invade.
Israel has mobilized at least 360,000 reservists for a ground invasion that military officials say is necessary to neutralize Hamas. Yet it isn't yet clear when the operation will start. As a result, Israelis who paused careers as engineers, doctors and teachers are training, playing backgammon and smoking cigarettes as they wait for the go-ahead, the WSJ reports. Some soldiers are training in “Little Gaza,” a replica of a Palestinian village made to prepare soldiers for combat in the territory. |
The Israeli military’s Little Gaza was built at a base in the Negev Desert.
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